Two weeks ago today, I decided to start a water fast.

I was feeling out of alignment, so I wanted to complete a water fast for three days. I wasn’t allowed to eat any solid food; just drink tea, water or flavoured water.

I usually don’t eat breakfast, so navigating through the morning wasn’t hard. However, as my usual lunchtime approached, my body started to feel weak, and I became grumpy. My energy was low, and the energy I brought with me to every interaction was also low. I survived the entire day due to a busy lab day. When I got home, I went straight to bed to avoid breaking the fast.

The second day, I felt better and was more productive. It was also because I had slept for over twelve hours. It was easy to get through the day, and after work, I had more energy to stay awake. I felt the urge to eat, but I resisted it. I stayed up, meditated, and listened as my body spoke to me. I was able to ignore some of the noise and focus for a bit.

The third day was upon me, and it felt the hardest. I thought about giving up so many times, but I pushed myself. I thought about all the times I gave up on myself and decided I wasn’t going to do it again. I arrived at work and powered through the day, knowing I had a big celebration ahead – my first successful three-day water fast. I got the job done and came to celebrate by drinking water and eating some nuts.

Since I did the fast, I felt more in alignment with myself. I became more aware of the things I needed to reconnect with and let go of in my life. I returned to writing for leisure and enjoyed writing again for school. I honed in on self-care, rest, and loving myself unconditionally. It was time to redefine my goals and let go of the people and opportunities that no longer aligned with me.

This stage is the overlap between the end of one season and the beginning of the next. I feel stuck because I need to determine which tools I need to start my new season. I am navigating so much that I need to select the tools that will help me progress. Being aware and feeling confused is an interesting place to be, but I am loving every minute of this journey.